The answers of Agastya Muni to the generic questions posted by devotees can be found here. The readers are requested to send their spiritual experiences related to the Siddhas to GnanaBoomi at Gmail dot com. Though the experiences are unique and personal to them, it can shower some light or guidance to those who read them. Thanks!
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When testing phase comes again and again, the devotion rises up. The Lord incarnates himself out of mercy. This is a repetitive miracle right from the days of yore. The Lord appeared as Venkatava and blesses people in spite of the hardships given by Kali. He tried Anjana not to visit Tirumala but was not successful this time either. She got conceived after a long time on a Full Moon day of Panguni month.
When Kesari was worried about the delivery, the Lord assured him that His consort Goddess Lakshmi Devi will assist Anjana herself along with Saraswathi and Parvathi assisting her. Kesari was speechless.
“This son of yours will rule the world in his own way. There will be none to quote an example for devotion other than him. Not just that, no one can defeat him either. He is a parakramasali.” – blessed the Lord. When Kesari mentioned this to Anjana, she felt happy but she was worried about something.
“Whatever be it, I cannot imagine giving my child as an adoption to someone else.”
“What are you talking about Anjana?”
“We came here seeking an offfspring, right?”
“Yes.”
“The Lord blessed us with one..”
“Indeed..”
“Then how can one come forward to give such a child as an adoption to the Wind God Vayu?”
“What happened to you Anjana?” – as Kesari wasn’t aware of the vision, he was taken aback. Anjana mentioned about the vision then.
“Ah! You must be mad. Everyone gets similar visions everyday. If we give importance to these, we cannot live peacefully. We have the Lord by our side. He will take care of everything.” – Kesari tried consoling her. She did feel better.
As the days pass by, Anjana wanted to have the ritual of Seemandham, to ensure long and healthy life for the child. Tirumala didn’t have the facilities and her relatives were living far away. She prayed to the Lord expressing this wish. The all merciful Lord said:
“Purattasi month will have a lot of Rishi Muni, Devas visiting here to have my darshan. I shall ensure that the Seemandham and Valai Kaappu happens, ok?”
(Valai Kaappu is a ritual where the pregnant woman is given a long of bangles to wear after a specific time period of her pregnancy which she continues to do so, believed to have beneficial efffect on the child in womb)
Anjana was speechless this time. The Lord asked what she was thinking.
“Nothing my Lord. I have surrendered everything at your holy feet. But an unknown fear casts me as the time of delivery comes closer. I am afraid if Kali will trouble me somehow.”
“The brave Anjana is scared, in spite of all the assurances given is it?”
“O Lord, it is the nature of a woman to think about a lot of things and worry. Please do not mind.” – she fell at His feet.
The Purattasi month came and Tirumala was in festival mood again. As the Lord said, the Valai Kaapu and Seemandham for Anjana happened in full grandeur at Tirumala with many visiting from all three worlds. As this was the first of its kind, Kesari-Anjana couple got the fame of having this ceremony conducted at Tirumala first. Once the festivities got over, Lakshmi Devi took utmost care of Anjana. Lord Dhanwantri gave the herbs and medicines for the delivery himself.
During the month of Margazhi in Moola star, Anjana gave birth to a beautiful male child. The Goddesses of the holy trinity expressed their love by affectionately kissing the child. It was one of its kind where the three great Goddesses kissed and cuddled a baby at the same time. The child bathed in bliss and love. Upon witnessing, they found the attributes of Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwara were present in it.
While Anjana was very happy about everything, she kept worrying whether this child will remain with her for a long time. Kesari felt that they should return to their places as its long since they started living here. Anjana wanted to get the consent of the Lord.
“The woman who visited her mother’s house for delivery should stay there at least for three full moon day. Why hurry?” – the Lord said with a meaning. The couple decided so as well and then that miracle happened.
When they were discussing all these, Lord Vayu appeared there, paid his respect to the Lord who blessed him.
“I came with a request to you, Anjana and Kesari. Please have mercy on me.” – said Vayu.
“Vayu had never got any request for me. Ask what you want.”
“You are the Lord who gives without asking. You know precisely what I want. But…”
“But what?”
“This is a matter concerning this couple. Hence I have to think well before I speak.”
Kesari said that he will offer anything that Vayu might ask. Anjana agreed to the same. Vayu said:
“This holy child of Anjana, I want to adopt him in front of the Lord and raise him as my own son.”
Anjana was shocked. She took the child inside the ashram at once as she could not stand there anymore. Kesari could not say or do anything. He stood there speechless. The Lord asked Vayu slowly:
“Why is this desire Vayu?”
“I somehow felt that I should raise this child my Lord. A divine voice said that this child will rule the entire universe and do marvellous things. It also said that Anjana will refuse this request first and then will happily give it over. The voice said that I should raise this child as my own son, for the past three days. Hence I came here. Please show me a way.” – Vayu fell at the Lord’s feet.
“Please do not separate our child from us in the name of divine voice, O Vayu.” – Kesari pleaded.
“I did not come here to separate. This was an order given by Lord Brahma. You might have got a dream three days back right?”
“Even if Lord Brahma appears in front of us, we are not ready to give our child for adoption.” – said Kesari.
“It is not an adoption dear Kesari. I do not intend to do the ritualistic way of changing his Gothra after doing the religious ceremonies. This child will be raised by me for some time. He will grow in your mighty presence for sometime. In the future, he will be called Vayu-Putra.”
“You said adoption first. Now you are saying that we should raise the child at allotted time period. Is this like a trade with the newborn child?” – Kesari expressed his frustration.
Anjana came out after placing the child safely inside and pleaded to the Lord if it was fair in Vayu asking thus. The Lord said:
“Anjana, this son is and will be yours. He will be called as Anjani Putra at all times. But just like how in a big family, someone will not have an offspring where they would want to cuddle and love a child born to another family member. Vayu’s desire is of that kind. What is wrong in it?”
“It is of no issue if he wants to express his love to the child. But why is he asking for adoption?”
“Fair enough..”
“O Lord. I have a slightly different thought. This child of Anjana is a divine one. I want to give all my powers to him. Not just mine, but I want to give all the powers of all five elements and make him the Deva of Devas.” – said Vayu.
“Good thought, I am very pleased to hear it.”
“Please bless me. If this child is raised by Anjana, it wil grow only as a normal child.”
The Lord nodded.
“Hence I came here with all 5 elements. Please bless me.”
“Kesari, what is your opinion?” – asked the Lord.
“I won’t give my child for adoption.”
“Ok.”
“Vayu can however visit my child whenever he wants. If he wants to bestow his powers and that of the five elements, let him do so in front of my eyes.”
“Ok”
“My child should not get any disgrace in the name of Vayu or because of Vayu.”
“Never. I promise.” – assured Vayu.
“What do you say, Anjana?” – asked the Lord with a smile.
“O Kesava. You never move a single thing without a reason. All I can see is your play. Our role is just to play our part right? I agree to what my husband said but I am worried that something is going to happen.”
“Anjana, do not worry. I shall take care of everything. By the way, what have you named your child?”
“I haven’t. Please choose a name for this child yourself.”
“Can we call him Hanuman?”
“Very happy. Let him be called so.” – said the couple happily.
~ to be continued…!